The funds are for two critical programs that support the provision of mental health services and facilitate emotional recovery for Monmouth County residents directly affected by Super Storm Sandy.

In the days leading up to, during and after the storm, the MHA’s professional staff continue to provide critical programs that include family support services, crisis intervention, and in-home counseling.

As area residents face the reality that thousands of individuals in Monmouth County have experienced levels of stress in their lives that some could have never imagined, the MHA’s efforts continue to broaden.

Since November, the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County has developed a team of more than 80 licensed clinicians who are providing free supportive counseling and therapy to individuals and families impacted by Super Storm Sandy.

“Now thanks to the generosity of the Robin Hood Foundation, we have the resources necessary to coordinate this program and assure that individuals and families in need are readily able to access these services” said Wendy DePedro, executive director of the MHA.

The MHA has been receiving and continues to receive referrals from the New Jersey Hope and Healing project, sponsored by the state Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Disaster Response and Terrorism Branch through a FEMA grant. Crisis counselors, families and individuals are contacting MHA directly.

The MHA will coordinate and ensure that those in need can readily access in their own homes or at convenient locations throughout the community the supportive services that are so vital to the recovery process.

In addition, the MHA is opening a location in the Bayshore area on Monday, March 4, that was severely impacted. Two full-time counselors will be located at the Bayshore Wellness Center, 13 Kennedy Way, Keansburg, providing individual and group sessions for adults, children, and families from the Bayshore community.

“On behalf of the board of directors, staff and our many volunteers, the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County is honored and grateful for this funding by the Robin Hood Foundation. We sincerely appreciate their effort of support to our local community, ” DePedro said.

The Robin Hood Foundation, New York’s largest poverty-fighting organization, is providing grants to relief organizations that are helping victims of Super Storm Sandy throughout the tri-state area. The grants are being made with funds from 12-12-12 The Concert for Sandy Relief held at Madison Square Garden, that raised more than $50 million through ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, telephone/web donations and concert merchandise.

The Mental Health Association of Monmouth County is the leading nonprofit dedicated to helping all people live mentally healthier lives. As an affiliate of the national organization Mental Health America and the Mental Health Association of New Jersey we represent a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well-being of the nation every day and in times of crisis.